Adam Perry, Director of Events and Brand at LMA, hosted an interview-style discussion with Rianna Alexander, Strategist and LMA Lecturer, and industry guest speaker Harpal Khambay who is a Freelance Production Coordinator, along with current LMA students Abbie Connor and Joshua Lord.
The speakers highlighted the many different routes into the creative industries and how a fulfilling career can take shape in unexpected ways. They shared honest insights into their own experiences, offering practical advice and encouraging students to build a broad range of skills and remain open to different opportunities.
Rianna spoke about how a job opportunity in South Korea, just one year after graduating from university, helped shape the start of her career. The experience allowed her to build valuable connections and move into social media management. She has since worked across events, social media and production, including Eurovision for TikTok, and now undertakes agency work for Havas Play UK. She highlighted the importance of being adaptable and gaining experience across different areas of the industry.
Harpal also demonstrated how career paths do not always follow a traditional route. After working at Waitrose, he successfully interviewed for a role on BBC drama Doctors, despite having no previous television experience. Although he did not get the original position, the production team offered him a role as a Production Secretary, which he held for two years. This inspiringly led to further opportunities, including working on EastEnders. He now works freelance and has built experience across live television roles, including BBC's The One Show.